Chinese Soldier, Who Accidentally Crossed Border And Came To India, Returns Home After 54 Years

Wang Qi, 77, was received by his Chinese relatives, as well as the officials from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian Embassy.

BEJING -- A Chinese soldier, who was stuck in India for over 50 years after crossing the border following the 1962 war, on Saturday returned to China with his Indian family members to a rousing reception and an emotional reunion with his kin.

Wang Qi, 77, was received by his close Chinese relatives, besides officials of the China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian Embassy when he arrived here along with his son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter from Delhi-Beijing flight.

Wang later travelled to Xian, the provincial capital of Shaanxi province, where he was given a rousing reception by his family members and officials.

Chaos and confusion prevailed at the Xian airport as large contingent of Chinese media gathered there to interview him.

An emotional Wang broke down as he hugged his close Chinese relatives, whom he met for the first time after over five decades of separation.

"Today is my happiest day in 54 years. Finally I have come back to this beautiful lovely country. Words cannot express how I feel now," he was quoted by the state-run CGTN as saying.

"It is a beautiful experience. I love to thank everyone. In 54 years, I wrote so many reports to officials in India and now finally they agreed to let me return home," he said.

Away from home for so long, he returned home on Lantern Day, the most important festival in China, representing the reunion of families. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the Chinese new year.

Wang was accompanied by his son Vishnu Wang, 35, daughter-in-law Neha and grand daughter Khanak Wang.

His Indian wife Shushila and daughter, however, have stayed back in India due to ill health, officials said.

Banners 'welcome home soldier' greeted him at the airport.

After their brief stay at the Beijing airport, Wang and family accompanied by two Indian diplomats flew to Xian from where he was due to travel to his village Xue Zhai Nan Cun located about 100 km away.

However, he along with family stayed put at a hotel in Xian as he was too tired to travel. Wang was expected to go there tomorrow and stay there for the next few days.

The village has been decorated with banners and the local government said he would be allotted a house, if he stays back. His return was widely reported in the state media here.

"He was not able to live comfortably as Indian authorities stopped his monthly pension. Wang has been denied Indian official document for citizenship. Nor he was allowed to travel back home," CGTN alleged, narrating Wang's ordeal.

Indian officials say that they received positive feed back from the Chinese government and his family for facilitating his return.

His return became a possibility after India and China worked out modalities for both Wang and his Indian family to travel together to China and later return as per their wish.